Alex Marquez Avoided Overtaking Brother Marc During Australian GP Sprint to Protect Title Hopes

Alex Marquez admitted he chose not to attempt an overtake on his elder brother Marc Marquez during the Australian Grand Prix sprint race at Phillip Island, stating that a passing maneuver would have been too risky given his brother’s championship battle. The Gresini rider finished second, just three tenths of a second behind his factory Ducati sibling after 13 laps, following a race where championship rival Jorge Martin crashed out of second place. The result extended Marc Marquez’s standings lead to 10 points over Aprilia rival Martin.

Starting second on the grid, Alex Marquez dropped to fourth at the start before recovering positions from Johann Zarco and Martin on lap 2. Although Martin immediately fought back, Alex stayed in contention and closed the gap as the leaders battled. After Martin’s retirement, Alex remained within striking distance of the race leader but opted against a move, crossing the line ahead of VR46 rider Fabio di Giannantonio to secure second place.

Reflecting on his pace, Alex noted that while he might have been a tenth or two faster at points, his push to close the gap depleted his rear tyre and energy, leaving him on the limit by the end. Despite Ducati locking out the sprint podium, Alex believes Aprilia still holds a performance advantage at Phillip Island, noting that Martin appeared to have an edge in certain corners while following the lead battle. Aprilia’s Raul Fernandez was forced to withdraw from the sprint due to injury, leaving Marco Bezzecchi as the manufacturer’s top finisher in fourth place.